Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-03
BOOTHS CONSPIRACY.


o4uoAy AA6u uSure
BOOTHS CONSPIRACY.
The Desperate Of the Party.
LEWIS r. PowRLI. ALIAS PAYNE, Mr. sRwARDs A.
sAnANT-Hs AUDACTY, DESPERATE coURAsE,
AND ExUBBRANT ANIMAL sPIRIrs-LLKI BOOTH, He
BELIEVED nnsELS 10 b PATRIOT
To the Editor of TEE EVENING stan:
1t seems that interest keeps alive In the first
Presidential tragedy. Not many months ago q
description Of the killing Of Mr.. Lincoln was given
In the Cincinnati Enquirer by an intimate &C.
quaintance Of Booth, who happened to be sitting
In the pit Of the theater 20 near the stage that he
saw the pallor Of his countenance when he COD
nonted the aud1ence and Dramatically uttered the
Virginia slogan" Not long ago the Atlanta Con-
stft'on published an account Of the assassination
OF the President ana in the next issue described
tne execution OF the conspiratora Even the pow
death at his owners In Connecticut, being an
nounced IN the newspapers Lately there was
fasS IN y y columns thrilling DESCRIPTION
Mr. Stewards life BY the conspirator you called
1t is true that Booths part rivalled fiction in its
ingenuity, and was desperately daring Public at
tention has been concentrated on the bold organ
1zer OF the plot. But Powelrs task was more des-
for the latter 70 escape through the labyrinth Of
distractions In the rear Of the theater ana he did
70, there was none for Powell who ascended 2
attendants whence there was no retreat but by
the way he came, into streets brilliantly lit and
too Ss for ah '1 rl cal
against chances
Having happened to live In different parts Of
as accidentally to become acquainted with their
history, propose now to tell something about
their son and the impulse which drove him. He
was the reverse Of mere hireling assassin. pro-
found desire to revenge what he conceived TO be
the deep dishonor OF hts section Of the country,
Ct 81 UnR
passed through Georgia ultimately into Florida
9is father, who died in 1884, was man Of superior
preacher. farmer and school teacher at times.
re He was tall gentleman OF pleasant manners.
ESr years before the war ne yed IN the
during and for few years after IT, he had q farm
q few miles south OF Live Oak, In Suwanee County.
tine there built on Dor
County.
The Rev. George Powell the father, was very
then scarcely Srown' and another son to enlist
under. He went into his former county and placed
them under one OF the best In the Confederate
County. who would exert sort OF parental control
over them with The military. Lewis was at this
time member OF his fathers church. Army life
caused him to fall from his piety; but he did not
become prey to drink, that arch enemy to many
soldiers But he did become rather fond OF cards
and his BATTLE paf
ticularly admired. He warmed up as the fight
ragged and was ever eager to press forward: State
tells that he was not surly, but happy, boy,
''full OF fun and frOlic."
HIS captain can relate some striking incidents,
showing his manliness, his frOlicsOme disposition
and his cool audacity. He once had him sentenced
TO mark time between baXonets several days for
Ing the camp he suddenly came upon the execution
OF the punishment; the culprit was stepping away
hard and the persptratton was running down his
30 good-naturedly at his captain that this oficer
had the sentence RENTED. He had become warm
ly attached to his captain.
soldiers "leave OF absence" in one Of the Virginia
towns he took down pair Of pantaloons In front
ITEM TO he oer AZ another time he ~ se1 1na SeSa
shop-keeper In hot chase down the street after an
innocent person. when he and his comrade helped
These mad pranEs marx his reckless a%daciey
They remind one Of Charles O'Malley. He was
good at 'foraging, and whatever he got freely
shared with his mess or company. He was en-
dowed with high health and athletic strength
Mr.. Dan. McAlptn, the editor OF Lire Oak once
saw him get angry with his adversary in game
OF quoits, and beat him with one OF the irons. An
illiterate neighbor once said 70 me- OF the family
They are all hot-headedL"
With all this excessive enjoyment Of army lfe
the conviction grew In the young soldiers mind
that Mr.. Lincoln was the cause VI all the woefull
war havoc; and he became nred with intense
wish that he could get into Washington, saying
that he would try to slay him, utterly regardless
OF consequences Little did his captain and COM
would finally lead him into the very jaws Of
death.
He was wounded slightly and captured at the
great battle OF Gettysburg, where he was confined
In hospital prison. He must have been sharp
witted and GLIB OF tongue, for he soon persuaded
was easy for so daring and shrewd a fellow to
escape on horseback, which he did, and made his
way to Baltimore, where he met Booth, This ia tine
There is another, unged with romance: that a
young lady's sympathy was so aroused for him
that she managed to convey to him federal uni
prison. According to this version TWO OF his fellow
soldiers who were there wounded saw him leave in
such uniform. One watching, saw him halted by
him something, supposed to be a bride, and passed
out This is The last that any comrade ever saw
This account goes on to say. that falling to oet
with bis command, which was now well back in
virginia, he joined Mostly awhile, and from it made
his way 10 Baltimore.
While all the other conspirators were deeply
anected-S0me, indeed, terror-stricken-at The
execution, Powell was undaunted. There was no
one 20 give MIN a parting word His father had
too late and the lines OF travel were much broken
ne afterward went TO Washington at his leisure
ana found preacher who had mad a little to say
10 his SON The old gentleman preached his sons
funeral himself, on his RETURN and urged emphat.
ically that he had been hung In a gOo0 cause
his PI mother sd, was almost frantic with grief
hatred against Mr. Seward, but only stabbed him
In obedience to his chief. He said pithiIy, II
Here, Mr.. Editor, l have detailed all that I have
gathered as went along concerning this promt
nent Inquire In one OF The most important events OF
nistory, ana nope 1t wli NIL gap. II but q small
oIe, ~ n.s.o'y; G. C.P.